in the bulrush, by the river,
where brown seed pod 'n green spike quiver,
by the bank of golden long grass,
as guilt tresses in framed hand-glass,
flowing locks of glowing young lass,
dancing in the water'd mirror
where the rippled circles shiver
where the sun and moonlight shimmer
twixt the dross and floating debris
there i spied the rainbow'd mandarin
red 'n navy, red 'n aquamarine,
orange, auburn, blue 'n teal-green,
as the palette o' Claude Monet,
swirl'd Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso,
unaware of colours gay,
swimming slow in feet o' yellow,
unaware of Artist's play,
unassuming, with bowed head
burnished bronze 'n beak of red,
and by his side his mate 'n bride,
in subtle shades of patchwork pied,
together they the water glide,
the king and queen of nature's pride.